Mancini reveals details of final meeting with Vialli
Italy manager Roberto Mancini has talked about his last meeting with Gianluca Vialli who died of pancreatic cancer on Friday in London.
In an interview with Gazzetta,
Mancinirevealed that he met Gianluca Vialli for the last time on December 29.
“We talked about everything, he wanted to know the latest developments of the Italy project.
“He was powerless, with little voice, but very lucid,”
Mancini told Gazzetta.
“We talked a bit about everything, he even asked me about the get-together in December with the youths. He wanted to know the developments of the project.”
Vialli and Mancini played alongside each other for
Sampdoriaand helped the Italian club win its only Serie A title in 1990-91. They also played in the Champions League Final against Barcelona at Wembley Stadium.
Mancini appointed Vialli as part of
Italy's coaching team in 2019 and they managed to win the Euro 2020 together. Last December, Vialli left Italy's national team due to his health situation.
“Luca was smiling, we joked. I told him that he was earning more than me at Sampdoria, the President was paying him more than me,” continued Mancini.
“A few days after Sinisa’s farewell, I lose another brother, a little brother, as I liked to call him.
“We met when we were 16 and we never split. The entire journey together. Azzurri’s youth sector, national team, Samp, joys and pain, victories and defeats. Those two nights at Wembley. Once we cried with sadness and bitterness, many years ago. The other time, we cried with joy, as we were united by destiny, before his death.
“Gianluca was the best of us, a complete striker, a perfect and courageous man,”
Mancini said.
“I’ve long hoped he could become the President of Sampdoria, he would have opened an extraordinary history, as when he was a footballer. It was a privilege to be his friend and a teammate in football and life.
“I thank President Gravina who wanted him in the national team. He made me happy. He had a decisive role in the victory of the Euros. Players loved him. Gianluca had the strength and gave us the courage we didn’t know we had which he used to fight the illness, staying with us until he could.
“I say goodbye to another brother, after Sinisa. With his strength, I’ll go forward to dedicate to him something relevant, which we’ve been dreaming of for a lifetime.”
DISCLAIMER! Sportmob does not claim ownership of any of the pictures posted on this website. Again, we do not host pictures or videos ourselves. Our authors merely link to the rightful owner. Lastly, Sportmob have carefully considered and reviewed all of its content. Despite that, it is possible that some information might be out-dated or incomplete.